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ANTI-FOREIGN OUTRAGES AND GREAT BRITAIN'S POLICY TOWARDS CHINA.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
| July 16, 1898. existing Government she will want a long | Powers combined insist upon a root and spoon indeed, if only to keep murdered branch reform of the civil and military ser- missionaries out of the soup.
vices of Ching anti-foreign outrages will con- tinue to take place from time to time.
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THE CAUSE OF ANTI-FOREIGN
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RIOTS.
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Last year Mr. G. J. L. LITTON, of the Consular Service, made a journey to North Szechuen, and his report thereupon has recently been presented to Parliament. Some remarks he makes upon the attitude of the populace towards foreigners are of special interest at present, in view of the recent anti-foreign riots. Referring to the rumours that foreigners kidnap and devour children, Mr. LITTON says he firmly be lieves that these rumours are set about chiefly by yamen underlings. "The
majority of the people have large fund of common sense, but they impulsive, ignorant, and accept "almost any tale that comes from official sources, and so such rumours get about. It is quite certain, as several recent cases "have proved, that a good official can extinguish these rumours immediately, if "he has a mind to." Mr. LITTON himself during more than two months' travel was only insulted by natives twice, and on both occasions by yamen underlings; the people of all classes he found to be particu- larly friendly. Having given an instance in which the propagator of false rumours was held responsible, with the effect that the | rumours died out immediately and were not
renewed, Mr LITTON goes on to say :- "strict orders given by ex-Viceroy Lu are 'undoubtedly the cause of the present state "of affairs; cases like the above convince me that among a people so mild and friendly no riots can ever take place ex- cept at the direct instigation of the officials. "At present many of the local officials, taking their cue from their chief, go so far “ as to pay visits to missionaries, invite them "to dinner, etc. All the officials that I saw "repeatedly told me that they were very "afraid of any trouble with foreigners on
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The renewed outbreak of anti-foreign riots in Szechuen, following upon the murder of French missionaries in Kwangsi, is specially regrettable at the present time, when the foreign relations of China are in such a precarious condition. The murder of two German missionaries the other day formed the pretext for the seizure of Kinochau and the establishment of German influence in Shantung, and if the nations whose subjects have suffered in person or property in the Szechuen riots choose to demand material satisfaction on German lines we would be disposed to say small blame to them, though awkward complications may arise if they begin to tread on each other's corns when arranging terms. Those who talk glibly about preserving the integrity of China may not unfairly be called upon to explain how the integrity of the country can possibly be preserved under an effete, corrupt, missionary-murdering Government like that of Peking. Is Great Britain to make herself particeps criminis by defend- ing the Peking Government against the just consequences of its wrong-doing or neglect? Is she to fail in exacting satisfaction for outrages committed upon her own subjects? The universal feeling amongst Britishers in China, so far as we have been able to gauge it, is that a great mistake was made in not exacting exemplary satisfaction after the Kucheng massacre, and a repetition of the mistake should be avoided. As both Protestant and Roman Catholic missions have suffered in the Szechuen riots it is to be pre- sumed British interests will again be affected, and if so it is to be hoped the outrages will not be condoned. But if we ourselves are entitled to exact reparation for injury to our interests we must concede the same right to others whose interests are similarly affected, unless, indeed, the British Govern- ment is prepared to establish an effective protectorate over China, to assume respon- Bibility for the administration, and, in account of the Viceroy's anger, which they short, to do for China what she has done "would be certain to incur. Lu gave his for Egypt. That would be rather a "large" personal attention to the protection of order," but it would be a policy worth" foreigners. On one occasion some soldiers fighting for if opposition were offered. Is "amused themselves by firing blank cart- "the trade of China worth fighting for?" was the absurd question asked the other day by the N. C. Daily News at the opening and the close of a leading article. One thing" the street on which the compound was is quite certain, and that is that the "situated, though it was the direct road Government of China as it exists at 'to the parade ground. It is not neces- present is not worth fighting for. No Go- sary to speculate whether Lu's policy was vernment could possibly be worse, whe "directed by his own sympathies, his ther from a humanitarian or commercial "predecessor's fate, or the recollection of point of view, and in upholding it Great "the heavy indemnity paid to the Missions Britain is doing more to close the door Etrangères, but it is to be hoped that his to trade than to open it. If provinces. successor will follow in his steps." Of in the North pass under the sway of Russia the precise circumstances attending the or Germany, or in the South under the sway recent riots we are still in ignorance, but of France, British trade with them will in when the detailed reports are received it crease tenfold more rapidly than it would if will be found, there can be little doubt, the same provinces remained under exclusive that the officials are directly responsible ly Chinese rule. It would be more satisfactory for the occurrences, for, as Mr. LITTON to preserve China as a political entity under observes, no riots can ever take place British protection and control with a except at the direct instigation of the civil and military service sufficient to officials; or, it that be thought rather too guarantee honest administration and the sweeping a statement, it is at least certain preservation of order; but if Great Britain is that no auti-foreign riot takes place, either not prepared to assume that responsibility in Szechuen or elsewhere in China, but she will not do much good by opposing might be prevented by the officials if the designs of other Powers. When they chose to take proper precautions. Mr. CHAMBERLAIN the other day quoted Where there is not active instigation the proverb "Who sups with the devil | on the part of the officials there is must have a long spoon" he would have tacit connivance or indifference. It is done much better to have applied it to the Peking Government that is at the China than to Russia! If Great Britain is bottom of the whole bad business, and until sup with China as represented by the either Great Britain alone or the Foreign
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ridges into a missionary compound at "Chengtu, the Viceroy heard of it, and all "soldiers were forbidden even to enter
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THE SAMSHUI CONSULAR KEPORT.
Mr. Consul H. F. BRADY has written an interesting report on the trade of Samshui and Kongken for the period from 4th June, 1897, the date of the opening of the port, to 31st December. He prefaces his report by a few remarks descriptive of the district generally. The ports may be said to be at the apex of the delta formed by the Canton and West Rivers, a district which is re- markable for the richness of its soil and the variety and abundance of its products, as well as for the density of its population. Westwards the Sikiang and its innumer- able tributaries give access to the provinces of Yunnan, Kweichow, Kwangsi, and the whole of the western portions of Kwang- tung, while northwards the Pikiang, or North River, opens up to trade the large expanse of country lying south of the chain of mountains which separates Kwangtung from Hunau and Kiangsi. This vast undeveloped area, Mr. BRADY continues, "has now been brought within the reach "of foreign markets, and Samsbui, from 'being a city of little account, bids "fair to become one of great import-
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ance at no distant date. Hitherto it has "taken no part in the trade of the province, and, indeed, as a local market for foreign produce, it may be doubted whether it will ever play a very conspicuous role; but as a treaty port it only needs careful foster- ing to become an important centre of "distribution. Merchandise can now be "laid down here direct from Hongkong on payment of import duty according to tariff, and it is no longer obliged to submit to the exactions imposed upon it by its introduction via Canton, "which has hitherto been the case. Once "in the port and covered by transit pass it
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can proceed without fear on its way into "the interior, and this measure of relief "should lead to a great expansion of the "trade, provided, as has been said, it is not strangled by the imposition of burdensome taxes and the syndicate system to which "the provincial Government is so partial." This latter is a point that cannot be insisted upon too often or too strongly, as is illus- trated by what happened in the kerosine trade. During the first few months after the opening of Samshui, Mr. BRADY says, kerosine oil had a free field, owing to the fact that by importing direct from Hong- kong, the dealers escaped the levy of the tax of 30 cents per case charged by the chi- yi-tang or syndicate who farmed the right to collect the tsoli or terminal tax on all oil consumed in the province. Nearly 85,000 gallons were consequently imported during that period, but early in December the farmers established a station at Hokow and also started running launches to patrol the river in search of uncertificated oil, and from that date up to the date of Mr. BRADY's report only 800 cases had been brought in. The merchants, Mr. BRADY says,
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now realise that it is wiser to bow to "the inevitable, and they procure their sup- plies from Canton, where the tax has already been paid upon it. In this way they are able to lay it down cheaper than "if they brought it in direct from Hong- "kong and had to pay the lekin and tsoli on arrival.”. If illegal levies of this sort
it can o are to be swept away only be by in- cessant vigilance and insistence on the observance of treaty rights, and for
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